Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-03

w@s YTWMA r r,'lps' M "'t b e ered We" by
GEN. D. II. sTRoTHER. many old and mid
die aged ladies and gentlemen, and give de
light to the young reader who burrows into
the old and time stained pages of the maya
zines Xxx
A modest, retiring mantle author of
those pages-he has been but little heard of
in the public prints the past dozen years, and
after a life of interesting events lives quietly
in his old Virginia home-an artist an au-
thor, traveller, something of a musician,
then for five years soldier in defense of his
country when all of his kindred but one We're
on the other side, and still later a diplomat
for period of seven years, and now plain
Virginia gentleman, passing the sunset of his
life i'll this quaint old place that has long been
so dear to him. He has twice been married,
and has two children. His eldest is the wife
of John Brisban Walker, formerly brilliant
journalist of Washington, now a wealthy
business man of Denver, Colo, and the other
an interesting son of sixteen years. Mr..
Strother resides with his wife and son in
house that has long been his home In speak
ing of his age and health few days ago, he
said: 81 am bound to believe the Bible and
am convinced that was born about the hour
of 1920 o'clock i'll the morning, on Sept &c,
1916, and am consequently 70 years Of age.
| weigh 100 pounds in my summer toggery,
walk my five miles without fatigue, and am
not conscious of any pains, aches or discom-
forts whatsoever. The fact being entered in
my venerated fathers handwriting it cannot
be disputed that | have accomplished the
three score and ten years allotted to man
life; but the labor and sorrow pertaining
thereto have not yet taken hold of me, for at
present my days pass in cheerful tranquility,
never before experienced"
Gen. David Hunter Strother was born in
Virginia. His father, who had been an Off
| Ger i'll the war of 1872. was man of great
independence of thought, with stern, UNI
compromising sense of duty, and some
what unhappy over the artistic tendencies dis
played by his only boy. Nevertheless, he
sent his son to New York. where he was
taken in charge by Professor Morse, then a
somewhat erratic artist, afterwards to become
the famous inventor of the telegraph. Later
on a trip to Europe was made, and four years.
study in Rome and other European countries
broadened the culture of the young man and
gave opportunities to IA youth naturally of an
observing turn of mind and prone to philoso-
phze on what he saw Then came return
to Virginia and trip to the west and south,
and about this time the first published
sketches. The Hon. John Z. Kennedy, Of
| Baltimore, who was then in his heyday the
author of Horseshoe Robinson and other
| then very popular works, was warm friend.
| but undertook to diSsuade his cousin from
entering upon literary career But the first
numbers of 1.-The Nirginian Canaan" very
quickly settled the question of the young alI-
thor's talent and by their popularity attested
| that his pen and pencil had charm that few
others possessed.
| In but few years Porte Crayons name was
a household word wherever Harper's Maya
| zine went, and where was that not in those
daysa He was their highest paid contributor,
and beloved from one end of the country to
the other for his charm and grace. Then
came the John Brown thunderbolt which fell
upon Harpers Ferry. Porte Crayon, living
near by, was on the ground within a few
hours, and then and for the weeks which fol
lowed sketched the leading events and philoso
phized on the social problems which he was
| then compelled to consider. Virginia and
tradition were at his back. Before his face
the question of whether all men had indeed
been created free and equal, or if not what all
that declaration by his forefathers meant.
The diettante artist became changed man.
Life had assumed a more serious phase in his
|
to consider either in Europe or America. His
mind was made up. He beheld the approach
of the inevitable struggle. He was very near
the border, and he organized and equipped at
his own expense a company of his Virginia
townsmen, to whom he preached the doctrine
of the Union. But his efforts We're useless,
and when the struggle actually came local
| prejudices and state pride carried his carefully
drilled contingent into the Confederate ranks
| while their commander obliged to hurry
off in the night to Washington, In the busy
days that followed he found himself on the
staff of Gen. Mcclellan, riding hard during
the day and sitting down on n battlefield
or in deserted farm house at night to write
out in eXtenso the experiences of the day
many times Selling lull in the battle to
draw out his sketch book and put on paper
the narrowing scenes of the field This was a
work which no labor or fatigue or danger
ever caused him to neglect, and while his war
sketches remain among the most interesting
relics Of that period his diary, if given to the
public, would prove among the most valuable
contributions to the history of the war,
Upon Gen. McClellan's departure for the
James he went with Pope, and later on ac-
companied Gen. Banks to New Orleans and
upon the i'll fated Red River expedition, re-
turning later to become chief of staff to his
cousin, Gen. David Hunter, in his campaign
up the valley. +*%
After the war, declaring himself in search
only of quiet and peace, he repaired his ruined
home and sat down under the tranquil hills
and broad spreading trees of Berkeley, and
was visited from time to time by his compan
ions of the war, watching with interest the
problems of REIMBURSEMENT In 1877 President
! HAYES offered him the consular generalshp 10
Mexico, and he found life at the Mexican
capital sufficiently pleasant to devote seven
years there. And finally he Is back IN ms
| beloved Virginia The accompanying por-
trait sketch is made from "A photograph taken
only few weeks ago